Oct 12- Afraid of the dark

I used to love to play outside after dark as a kid, always being the last one back inside for the night long after mom had called us home. The summer nights always held a little magic for me as I felt somewhat hidden from full view giving me the freedom to be a little more courageous. Unfortunately, those feelings left long ago and now I'm slightly afraid to be outside after dark unless I'm in my own yard.

Since I've challenged myself to the 5k race at the end of the month, I've been getting home from work and immediately going on a 30min. walk/run to prepare. Tonight I wasn't able to leave work until very late, then there was a wreck on the highway...of course. As I sat in traffic, I realized that I wouldn't make it home before the sun set and would have to do my run/walk in the dark...unless I bagged out tonight. NO, I will have to do it or I'll never be able to do my race.

So I finally made it home at 7:10 and immediately changed and went out the door before I could chicken out. There's one part of my course that's behind our development and it's nothing but thick groves of Cypress tress on both sides of the road. This part is about 1/3 of the way into my path so I knew I needed to get past there before it went completely dark on me. Running was my only option. I left the house and managed to run more tonight then I have yet, mostly because my goal was to get past the scary woods before it was pitch black out. I got there as the sun was fading fast and my daylight was almost gone. There was just enough for me to see the big bugs, tiny toads and various other nighttime creatures starting to stake their claim on the road. I ran faster and finally made it past the woods to the safe side of the neighborhood. Once past, I caught my breath and walked the next 1/3 of the way, ran some more and made it home way after dark. I conquered my fear of being outside after dark and I wasn't even in my own yard.